Breath in the Valley

The Dilemma of the Valley

A valley is formed by water and moisture continuously running across the same spot. The valley will erode and create a groove shaped like a U or a V.

The constant pressure of the water over a period of time creates this land feature.

In the same way, many people face constant pressure on a daily basis. The pressure can place a person in a position where they feel they are trapped and unable to climb out of daily situations.

A valley places a person at a disadvantage because in the valley, other people can see you. You cannot hide in a valley. You are vulnerable in the valley. In ancient warfare, the perfect place to ambush someone was in the valley.

Ezekiel 37:1–2 KJV 1900

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

In the text, the spirit of the Lord places Ezekiel in the middle of a valley full of bones. The fact that he was in this place meant that a great battle was fought and many people lost their lives.

Many of the people of God find themselves in valleys where the enemy has caused them to lose hope and feel helpless.

A Question in the Valley

Ezekiel 37:3–4 KJV 1900

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

God asks Ezekiel the question of whether or not the bones can live. The bones represent the hopelessness of the people of God when exposed by the enemy. There are times when we feel the weight and pressure of life tearing us apart. The pressure may be caused by something that has already died in your life. It may be your current employment status. It may be your health. It may be your faith. Whatever the case, something in your life has died in the valley. And God wants to know if it will live again.

Ezekiel’s response recognizes that your situation will not live based on your power, your status, or your money. He says to God, only you know. Many people do not realize that the greatest weapon you have in the valley is your humility and dependence on God!

When the people of God humble themselves, God hears and answers!

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

He responds to Ezekiel, Prophesy to the dry bones! This is an unusual request from God because He tells the prophet to speak the word to something that is not only dead but also dry. The bones were dry because in the open valley, they were exposed to the sun and the wind. When sin is exposed to the Son and the Spirit, it creates dryness in a person and the enemy feeds on that! He wants to expose your sinfulness and your mistakes and your burdens and your weaknesses! BUT GOD!

This is why the Psalmist cries out in:

Psalm 51:10–12 KJV 1900

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.

In the midst of a dry season God says I will refresh you and I will give you water to drink…Son of man, can these dry bones live?

A Shaking in the Valley

Ezekiel 37:5–6 KJV 1900

Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

God tells Ezekiel when he speaks the word to the bones, He will breath life into them. It is the breathe of God that creates life and change!

The breathe of God breathed into man in the book of Genesis and he became a living soul.

The breathe of God blew across the Red Sea so Israel could cross!

The breathe of God blew on the Apostles at Pentecost and released the Holy Spirit!

Ezekiel 37:7 KJV 1900

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

Ezekiel doesn’t know what will happen but he understands that his obedience will lead to a move of God! You may not always understand God’s request, but when He speaks, you must obey. Obedience produces a shaking that pushes everything out of position!

The Bible doesn’t tell us about the noise Ezekiel heard, but I propose that he heard the sound of the bones reconnecting…the sound of joints being reattached as God prepared the restoration. The shaking was necessary to move the bones into the right position.

I am reminded of the shakings that occured throughout the Word of God when He wants to produce greatness of create a change in the atmosphere.

When the Israelites marched around Jericho, it fell when God shook up the ground with a huge earthquake!

He shook up the ground around Elijah when the prophet hid from God!

When Paul and Silas were in a Philippian jail, He shook up the jail after their praise and prayer meeting!

When Jesus hung on the Cross and pronounced It is finished, God shook up the ground on prevent His wrath from consuming the earth.

The shaking moves you into the best position to receive what God is preparing for you!

Ezekiel 37:8–10 KJV 1900

And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

God covers the bodies with flesh and muscle and standing before Ezekiel is a great army with no breath! It is not until Ezekiel obeys again and prophesies to the wind that breath enters their bodies! Understand this, you may have the form and shape of a child of God, but without the breath of God, you are still lifeless! I have come to prophesy to those who came in today looking for an answer for your situation! God has heard your cry and He says on this day, you have become an army! Today is the day that God breathes into you! Today is the day of your victory!